The Wright Stuff II Wraps at New Beverly

The Wright Stuff II Wraps at New Beverly

Edgar Wright had a blast, by his own account, presenting his second The Wright Stuff program at the New Beverly (an L.A. rep theater saved by Quentin Tarantino): I wish I’d seen some of this. I had a blast when I attended a rare Joe Dante double feature there–and met Dennis Cozzalio for the first time (here’s his report on the Wright program). And Wright’s report:

And so my second season at the New Beverly is over.

I cannot say how much fun I had curating it, talking with all my guests and, most importantly, watching all the movies on 35mm with a full house.

As I said every night, my second season of programming double bills was a purely selfish exercise. Even though I know those who attended had a blast, it was much for me as it was for you.Watching great movies as they were intended to be seen, with a great crowd is any film geek’s dream.

And I may have set the bar too high for myself to ever do such a season again, because the guest list alone was the stuff the dreams are made of. So let’s say thanks to all these fine people who either worked on the movies I screened or shared my geekish enthusiasm for them.

Some of Wright’s fave moments are below.

Getting Simon Pegg down to LA and into the screening without anyone knowing, then freaking out the audience by pretending to call him in Vancouver and his phone ringing in the auditorium.Terry Gilliam’s amazing e-mail to introduce the screening of ‘Brazil’.Sitting front row with Quentin Tarantino watching a perfect print of ‘Dirty Harry.David Selby & Lorenzo Semple Jnr watching ‘The Super Cops’ for the first time since 1974.Admitted stealing a line from Semple Jnr for ‘Hot Fuzz’ and him being flattered by the theft.John Landis being so blown away by ‘American Graffiti’ in his first viewing in 38 years, that he admitted to feeling bad for parodying the ending in his own ‘Animal House’.The scenes with Alec McCowen & Vivien Merchant bringing the house down in ‘Frenzy’.Getting Keith Gordon to talk about being an 18 year aspiring director on the set of ‘Dressed To Kill’.Walter Hill commenting that the sold out screening of ‘The Driver’ was the largest American audience to have ever watched the movie.Witnessing the 200 mph raconteur that is the legendary Bruce Dern.Reading out an e-mail from Steven Spielberg explaining how he made ‘Duel’ in 11 days.Laura Dern making an 11th hour appearance at ‘Wild At Heart’ and surprising me by bringing David Lynch with her. Cue crowd going wild.Hearing Walter Hill imitate David Patrick Kelly’s “Come out to pla-ay” line.Hill admitted to regretting that Ajax never makes it home in ‘The Warriors’ and James Remar replying, “Walter, tonight Ajax is home”.Frank Marshall & Larry Gordon telling amazing production anecdotes about ‘The Warriors’ while they both munched popcorn onstage.Patton Oswalt helping me introduce ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ by admitting to actually never having seen ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’.Watching Geoffrey Lewis’ face during ‘Thunderbolt & Lightfoot’ as his scenes got huge laughs.Seeing ‘Miami Blues’ for the first time with other people and it playing like gangbusters.